Annie Wayte, chef of The White Hart in Salisbury, CT, learned the fundamentals of wasteless-ness early on, cooking as a child in England with her grandmother. "My grandmother, who was born during the first war and raised kids during the second, taught me to cook," she says. "Pie crust trimmings were made into small pastries, vegetable trimmings were turned into stock. Today, I have two additional reasons to get the most out of what I buy - my kids. Finally, I understand my grandmother!"

At The White Hart, Wayte tries to eliminate as much food waste from her menu as possible. That includes using vegetable scraps for making stock and turning stale bread into Italian panzanella salad.

Using extra herbs and leftovers is pretty obvious. But what about those broccoli stems, cabbage cores, and corn cobs? Wayte uses those, too. And while she might be a restaurant chef, there are plenty of ways you can keep these items out of your trash can at home as well. Yes, these parts are usually a little tougher, a little more fibrous. But with the right prep, you can get twice as much out of your vegetables.

Corn Cobs: Make Stock

How can you eat corn cobs? Simmer them like vegetable stock for a sweet, super flavorful stock that can easily be stored in the freezer. "You can use this stock for risotto, pasta (don't forget copious amounts of butter), fish, and all soups!" says Wayte.

Cauliflower Cores: Purée It

Making creamy cauliflower or broccoli soup? There is no reason you should just use the florets. Toss the cauliflower cores or broccoli stems into the pot, then purée the whole thing for a super creamy soup. Or upgrade your mashed potatoes by adding in a mix of vegetables including puréed steamed cabbage cores or broccoli stems.

Cabbage Hearts: Pickle It

At The White Hart, Wayte covers cabbage cores in pastrami spices, cooks them sous vide, and slices them thin. That may be a little too fussy for at home, but you can replicate the basic concept and pickle the cores for a crunchy snack. Add some garlic and red pepper flake for a good kick of spice.